Can-soldering machine.



SJE. ALLERTON. CAN sowemm; MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. WW. 1,256,421. Patented Feb.12,1918. 9 SHEETS-SHEET 2- S. E. ALL'ERTON.

CAN SOLDERING MACHINE. APPLICATIQN FILED mm. 1916- 1,256,421. 4 Patented Feb. '12, 1918.

' 9 SHEETS-SHEE-T 3- s. ALLERTON.

CAN SOLUERING MACHINE.

APPLIQATION FILED JAN- 3. I916- Patented Feb.12,-1918.

S. E. ALLERTON;

CAN SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED .IAN.3. 1916.

Patented Feb. 12,1918.

S. E. ALLERTON.

CAN SOLDERING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN-3. l9l6- 1,256,421 Patented Feb.12,1918.

9 SHEETS'TSHEET 6.

S. E. ALLERTON.

CAN SOLDERING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED 1AN.3. 191s.

L258A21 I Patented Feb.12,1918.

9 SHEETS-SHEET I.

7,???(65566/ 22/67272 i I fizz/251622 LZZZZe/YZ7L S. E. ALLERTON.

CAN SOLDERING MACHINE. 7 APPLICATION FILED JAN. 3. 19l6. 1,256,421. Patented Fob.12,1918.

9 SHEETS-SHEEI' 8.

s. E. ALLERTON.

CAN SOLDERING MACHINE.

Patented .Feb. 12, 1918.

9 SHEETS-SHEET 9 SAMUEL E. ALLERTON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CAN-SOLDEBIN G MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 12, 1918.

Application filed January 3, 1916. Serial No. 69,726.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL E. ALLnn'roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Can-Soldering Machines, of which the following isa specification.

This invention relates to a machine for soldering cans, more particularly rectangular cans such as are used for packing meat and other substances.

One of the objects of the invention is to produce a novel and improved soldering mechanism for applying solder to the seams of the cans.

Another object is to produce improved means for imparting a quarter-turn to the cans so as to present new sides or seams to receive solder.

The invention also relates to the means for guiding the cans and moving them through the machine, to the general arrangement of the operating elements, and to certain other features of construction which will be pointed out in the following description.

In the accompanying drawings, Figures 1 and 2, taken together, represent a side elevation of a machine embodying the features of my invention. Fig. 3 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale illustrating a portion of the machine. part of which is seen in Fig. 1 and part in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan view of the fiuxing means. Fig. 5 is a side elevation on an enlarged scale illustrating a portion of the machine shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a transverse section through the machine taken in the plane of line 6-6 of Fig. 3. Fig. 7 is a transverse section through the machine as viewed in the plane of line 7-7 of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a fragmental transverse section illustrating a portion of the soldering means, the view being taken in the plane of line 88 of Fig. 10. Fig. 9 a sectional detail view on line 8 of Fig. 10 showing a device arranged to facilitate the cleaning of the solder-conveying duct. Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the soldering means. Fig. 11 is a vertical. sectional view through the soldering means taken in the plane of line 1111 of Fig. 10. Fig. 12 is a fragmental plan View illustrating the can-guiding and conveying means and the means for imparting a quarter-turn to the cans. Fig. 13 is a fragmental side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 12, a portion of the nearest track 26 being sectioned away. Fig. 14 is a detail section taken in the plane of line 14L14c of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a vertical sectional view on line 15-15 of Fig. 16 showing one end of the can-guiding and conveying means and illustrating the means for retarding or frictionally engaging the cans as they pass around the wheels at one end of the conveyer. Fig. 16 is a horizontal section 011 line l6-16 of Fig. 15.

My invention is susceptible of various embodiments, the preferred one of which is shown in the drawings and will be herein described in detail. The scope of the in vention, however, will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Briefly described, the present machine comprises a supporting framework, an endless conveyer mounted therein with one run above the other for moving the cans along a. suitable guideway through the machine, and four similar sets of operating devices positioned along the convcyer and guideway,

twosets along the upper run and two along the lower, for treating the successively presented seams of the cans as they pass through the machine. Each group of operating devices, in the present instance, comprises first a fluxing or acid-treating device, a preliminary heating device, solder-applying means, a second heating or soaking device, and lastly a wiping means. After the first and third sets of operating devices there are positioned devices for imparting a quarter-turn to the cans so as to present them in different position to the succeeding portions of the guideway.

The cans a in the exemplary form herein. shown are of oblong rectangular shape and comprise four side walls which taper from one end to the other and two end walls seamed onto the respective edges of the side walls. In the present instance only two opposite seams at one end of a can are operated on at one time, the can being given a quarter-turn on a vertical axis after the first operation to present two new seams, being inverted after the second operation, and finally given a quarter-turn on a vertical axis before the last.

The main framework of the machine is indicated by the reference numeral 20. At opposite ends of the framework two pairs of upright sprocket or guide wheels 21 are mounted on shafts 22, and over said wheels runs the endless conveyer for the cans, said conveyer, in the present instance, comprising two endless sprocket chains 23, each positioned with one run directly above the other, the chains being, connected at suitable intervals by cross-pins, 24, (Figs. 6, 7 and 12) and being provided with supporting rollers 25. These rollers are arranged to run upon horizontal tracks 26 to support the conveyer. Each of the cross-pins 24 is adapted to engage a can a and push the latter along its guideway.

The guideway for the cans comprises in the present instance a bottom rail 27 upon which the cans rest and slide, a top rail 28 overlying the cans, and suitable rails 29 at opposite sides of the cans. If desired, the top and side rails may be adjustably mounted so that the different sizes of cans may be accommodated. At the rear end of the machine the guide rails are joined by inner, outer and side rails 30, 31, 32, which are curved concentric with the sprocket wheels 21. in order to prevent the cans from falling by gravity in passing around this curve, means is provided to retard or frictionally engage the cans so that they are moved only by engagement by the conveyer. This retarding means preferably comprises a series of spring fingers 38, each fixed at one end to one, of the guide rails and having its, other end projecting into the path of the cans.

Inasmuch as, all four sets of the operating device are, in th present instance, substantiallyidentical, it; will be necessary to de-v scri e only one of said sets- The fiuxing means may comprise a bracket 35,. (see. Figs. 3, and secured at. its mid? portion to the bottom rail 27 of the can guide. and two arm 86 each pivoted at one end to an end of said bracket and carrying at its other end an absorbent roller 37. A tension spring 38 connects said arms and tends to draw them toward each other, the approaching movement of the arms being limited by stop pins 89 carried by the arms and arranged to abut against the canguicL 1 g rail 27. The rollers 87 are positioned so'that they will run along the two opposite lower seams of; the cans as they pass, along the guifdeway. Above the rollers 57' are mounted two acidcontaining reservoirs 40 provided with spouts 41 so positioned as to drip the acid upon the absorbent rollers 37. A basin 42 may be located beneath the rollers 37 to catch any surplus acid.

T 1e preliminary heating device may be of any preferred form such as a pair of elongated gas burners (Fig. 1) extending along opposite sides of the can guideway and having orifices at which the escaping gas burns to heat the lower seams or joints of the can. i

The soldering mechanism, (see Figs. 8 to 11) comprises means located at opposite sides of the can guideway and arranged to direct two continuous jets of molten solder intov position to strike opposite sides or cams of the can as they pass along the guideway. The soldering means comprises duplicate parts at opposite sides of the guideway and only those at one side need be described. An upper solder discharging pot 46 is provided with an outlet or discharge duct 47 directed toward the path of the cans, and a solder-receiving pot 48 located in a plane lower than the other pct 46 has associated therewith a catch basin 49 adapted to receive the surplus solder discharged and to empty such solder into the receiving pot 48. As the cans pass along the guideway the two jets of solder strik opposite sides thereof and overlap the corners so that the latter receive a double application of solder from the successive soldering means.

In order that the cleaning out of the discharge duct 47 may be accomplished without removing the solder from the upper pot 46. a valve in the form of a tube 50 is mounted in a stuffing box 51 in the outer wall of thepot and threaded in a bracket 52 attached to the pot. said tube extending horizontally across the pot and having its inner end located close to the inner end of the discharge duct 47. The outer end of the tube has a head thereon. The adjacent ends of the tube and the duct are coned so that the tube may be, fitted tightlv into the end of the duct to close the latter. Within the tube is a needle valve 54 (Fig. 9) having a conical end to, close the bore at the inner end of the tube. said needle valve hav ing on its outer end a head 55 which is threaded in a bracket 56; secure to the head 55 on the tube 50.

If the duct 47 becomesclogged, the Opel-' ator first turns the tube 50 in its threaded bracket until the inner end of the tube closes said duct. The head of the needle valve is then unscrewed from its bracket 56. and the needle valve withdrawn from the tube. A wir may now be inserted through the tube and through the duct 47 to remove any obstruction in the latter. By thejarrangement of parts described, the duct may be cleaned out while the pct 46 is full of solder. The, tube 50 and associated parts are mounted in the wall of the pot next to the outer side of the machine so that said parts are readily accessible to the operator.

Means is provided for returning the solder from the receiving pot 48 to the discharging pot 46, so that a'continuous jet may be discharged from the latter. This returning means comprises, in the present instance, a rock-arm 58 fixed at one end on a rock-shaft 59 and carrying a dipper 60. In the present instance this dipper is pivoted at 61 in a yoke 62 (Fig. 11) provided on the free end of the rock-arm 58, the dipper being normally held in upright position by a weight 63 on one side thereof, said weight tending to maintain stop pins 64 on the dipper in engagement with the yoke 62. As the arm swings into the upper dotted line position shown in Fig. 11, the edge of the dipper opposite to the weight 63 engages a stop bracket 65 and causes the dipper to tip into position to discharge its contents into the upper pot 46. 66 indicates a notch in the upper wall of the pot 46 to accommodate the dipper; and 67 designates an overflow notch or passage through which solder may escape from the upper pot to the lower one if the former becomes too full. The lower pot may, if desired, have a depression 68 (Fig 11) in its bottom wall of just sufficient size to receive the dipper 60, so that the dipper will properly fill even though the supply in the lower pot becomes somewhat low. The two pots 46 and 48 are arranged to be heated by suitable gas burners 69 (Figs. 3 and 6).

The rock-shaft 59 is arranged to be actuated, in the present instance, by means of a radially slotted arm 71 fixed on said shaft and a link 72 having one end adjustably fixed to the slotted arm and having its other end connected to a crank 73 (Fig. 6) on one end of a drive shaft 74 which carries a driving sprocket wheel 75. The means for driving the sprocket wheel will be later described.

After passing the solder-applying mechanism, the cans are reheated by suitable devices 76 which may be similar to the preliminary heating devices 45.

77 indicates a system of pipes for supply ing gas to the various heating devices, 45, 69. 76 of the machine.

The cans are then wiped by suitably arranged rollers. there being in the present instance two rollers 78 (Fig. 7) mounted on axes parallel to the path of the cans and located at opposite sides of such path for' wiping the sides of the cans, and two rollers 79 mounted on axes transverse to the path of the cans, located at opposite sides of such path. and adapted to wipe the lower surface of the cans. The means for actuating these rollers will be presently described.

The two opposite lower seams of each can have now been fiuxed, heated, soldered,

soaked, and wiped, and the cans now come to the first quarter-turn device by which the cans are turned on a vertical axis through 90 degrees, so as to present the other two lower seams for similar treatment. This quarter-turn device is illustrated in Figs. 12, 13 and 14, and comprises a horizontally disposed plate 81 having a plurality of notches 82 in its periphery, there being in this instance five of such notches. The plate is mounted to rotate on an axis at one side of the path of the cans and one edge of the plate projects beneath the conveyor 23 and track 26 into such path, so that there is always one of the notches 82 in position to receive a can as the latter moves along its guideway. As the cans are carried along by the conveyer 23, each of them enters one of the notches 82 in the plate and forces the plate to rotate a partial revolution. During such rotation the relative position of the can in its guideway is changed 90 degrees, so that the can is delivered to the succeeding portion of the guideway in position to have two other scams operated on. As seen in Fig. 12, one of the side rails 29 and the top rail 28 are curved concentric with the plate 81 to conform to the movements of the cans and hold the latter in the notches. The opposite side rail may be interrupted at a point adjacent to the plate. 83indicates a support for the cans during their turning movement, said support being secured to the bottom guide rail 27.

The two portions of the guideway approaching and leaving the quarter-turn device are alined with each other, so that the guideway as a whole is straight, and it extends on a line approximately tangential to the plate 81. When one of the notches 82 is positioned ready to receive a can one of its sides runs approximately parallel to the guideway and its other side runs directly transverse to the guideway, so that the can in traveling along its tangential path will freely enter and leave its notch. When the cans being operated upon are of oblong shape, the portions of the guideway at opposite sides of the quarter-turn device will be of different widths to conform to the dimen sions of the cans before and after being turned.

The mounting for the plate 81 may be of any suitable construction, being herein shown as comprising a spindle 84 fixed to the bottom of said plate and rotatably mounted in a bearing 85 which is carried by a suitable portion of the framework. In order to prevent the plate from rotating too freely, a brake device is provided, said device comprising a brake shoe 86 adjustably mounted on the upper end at a bracket 87 and adapted to engage a circular disk 88 F ig. 14 rigid with the p ate. Preferably the plate 81 is provided with projections to. thelow'er shaft 98.

89 at the corners of the notches adapted'to engage the outer corner of the cans as they are being turned by the plate, so as to hold the cans steady in the notches and insure their being properly presented ,to the succeeding portion of the guideway? After the second pairs of seams have been treated and also after final treatment of the cans, the latter are cooled by directing against them streams of cold air from pipes 90 which are connected to a suitable source of air under pressure.

The mechanism for actimting the moving arts will now be described. Four actuating shafts 95, 96, 97, 98, are provided, two at each side of the machine. The shaft is provided with a drive pulley 99 which is driven by a belt 100 from any suitable source of power. The shafts 96 and 97 are driven through sprocket chains 101 and 102 from the shaft 95, while the fourth shaft 98 is driven from the shaft 97 through a sprocket chain 103. The first soldering mechanism is driven from the shaft 97 through a transverse shaft which is connected by bevel gears 104- to the shaft 97, said transverse shaft being connected to the driving sprocket 75 for the soldering mechanism by means of a chair. 105. The sprocket 75 is; mounted between the ends of the crank-shaft 741, the opposite ends of said shaft carrying the cranks 73 which are connected to the solder-clipping devices at opposite sides of the machine. See Fi 6.) The second and fourth soldering mechanism are driven from a common transverse shaft 106 (Fig. 3) which is connected by bevel gears 107 to the shaft 97, said transverse shaft being connected by a chain 108 to a sprocket wheel 109. This wheel 109 is fixed on a shaft 110 which also has fixed thereon a sprocket wheel 111 connected by a chain 112 to the driving sprocket 75, A sprocket chain 113. connects the transverse shaft .106, with the driving rocket 75 on the crank-shaft of the fourth soldering mechanism. The third soldering mechanism is driven 7 froin a transverse shaft which Ts connected by bevel gears 114; A. cha n 115 cone nests said transverse shaft to the driving sprocket of the soldering mechanism.

Each of the wiping rollers 78 of the four sets is connected by a belt 116 with a pulley on the nearest one of the actuating shafts 9,5 to 98. Theother wiping roller 79 of each set is connected bya sprocket chain 117 with one of several transverse shafts 1159 (Figs. 5 and 7) which are geared to one of the actuating shafts. The'conveyer 23 may be driven by a pulley (not shown), fixed on one of the shafts 2 2.

The foregoing minute description has been given in order to impart a clear under-v s nding o the pre en m h e- I i obvious, however, that many modifications and equivalents may be resorted to without, departing from the scope of not invention or sacrificing the essential characteristics thereof. When small cans are being operated on, the jets of solder from the discharge ducts 17 of the first soldering mechanism will reach not only the adjacent sides of the can, but also the leading side and following side asthe cans pass along. In this way one solderirg mechanism applies solder to all four seams at one end of the can, and after the can is inverted another soldering mechanism may likewise apply solder to the other four seams, so that only two such mechanisms are needed, instead of four, as herein disclosed. On large cans, however, it is preferable to provide an individual soldering means for each seam or side at both ends of the can. The solder-clipper as herein disclosed, is pivoted to its supporting arm but this is not essential, since the supporting arm may be arranged so that the mere act of its swinging up will move the dipper into discharging position.

I claim as my invention:

1. A can treating machine having, in cembination, a supporting framework, a guide way on which the cans are-supported and slidably guided to'travel, means for mov ing the cans along said guideway, and two solder pots positioned at opposite sides of said guideway and spaced laterally away from the cans, said pots having discharge ducts through their walls communicating with the lower portions of the pots and arranged to direct continuous jets of solder in alateral direction transverse to the path of the cans so as to strike opposite sides of the cans during their passage.

2. A machine for treating cans having, in combination, a supporting framework, an endless conveyer mounted therein for mov-' ing cans through the machine, a guideway on which the cans are slidably supported to travel, two solder pots positioned at opposite sides of said guideway and having outlets through their walls, to direct continuous jets of solder in a lateral direction transverse to the path of the cans so as to strike opposite sides of the cans, a receiving means located beneath said outlets to receive the surplus solder, and means for returning solderfrom said receiving means into the two pots. I

' A machinefor treating cans having, in

combination, means for causing cans to travel, without stoppage, and stationary sole dering mechanism past which the cans travel comprising a solder pot having a discharge duct through one wall communicating with the lower portion of the pot and arranged to direct a continuous jet of solder in a lateral direction transverse to the path of the cans so as to strike the cans, during their travel, a receptacle beneath said outlet to receive the surplus solder, and means for returning the solder from said receptacle to said pot.

4. A machine for treating cans having, in combination, means for causing cans to travel, and soldering mechanism past which the cans travel, comprising a solder pot having an outlet through one wall arranged to direct a continuous lateral jet'of solder in a direction to strike the cans as they pass along, a receptacle beneath said outlet to receive the surplus solder, a dipper, and means for actuating said dipper to transfer the solder from said receptacle into said pot.

5. A machine for treating cans having, in combination, a guideway for the cans, a conveyer for moving cans along said guideway, and soldering mechanism comprising two solder pots located at opposite sides of said guide ay and having outlets adapted to direct streams of solder in a direction to strike opposite sides of the cans as they pass along, receiving means located beneath the two pots and adapted to receive the surplus solder from the said outlets, two clippers adapted to transfer the solder from their respective receiving means to the pots, and means for actuating said dippers.

(5. A machine for treating cans having, in combination, means for causing cans to travel, a solder pot having a discharge duct arranged to direct a continuous jet of molten solder in a lateral direction transverse to the path of the cans so as to strike the seams of the cans as the latter pass by, and means to maintain a supply of solder in said pot.

7. A machine of the character described having, in combination, means for ejecting a continuous jet of molten solder in a lateral direction, means for moving an article to be soldered horizontally alongside said ejecting-means and into the path of the jet of solder, and means for returning the surplus solder to said ejecting means.

8. A machine for treating cans having, in combination, means for causing a series of cans to travel, two solder pots located at opposite sides of the path of the cans and each having a discharge duct communicating with the lower portion of the pot and leading laterally therefrom and adapted to eject a continuous jet of molten solder in a lateral di rection against the cans as they pass by, two receptacles positioned in a plane beneath said pots and adapted to catch the surplus solder, and two dippers mounted on a rock shaft to oscillate between said receptacles and said pots to transfer the solder from the former to the latter.

9. A machine for treating cans having, in combination, means for causing the cans to travel horizontally, two solder pots located along opposite sides of the path of the cans and each provided with a discharge duct through one wall which communicates with the lower portion of the pot and is adapted to direct a continuous jet of molten solder against the cans passing by, means for returning the surplus solder to the pots, and means carried by each pot to permit the cleaning out of its discharge duct without removing the solder from the pot.

10. A machine for soldering cans having, in combination, a container for molten solder provided with an outlet through one wall through which outlet a continuous jet of solder may be ejected in a lateral direction transverse to the path of the cans, means for moving a series of cans past said outlet so as to have parts of the cans struck by the jet of solder, a receptacle positioned beneath the path of the cans to receive the surplus solder, and means for returning such solder from said receptacle into said container.

11. A machine for treating cans having, in combination, a guideway adapted to support and guide rectangular cans, a conveyer for moving cans along said guideway, two solder pots positioned at opposite sides of said guideway and having discharge ducts through their walls arranged to direct continuous jets of solder in a lateral direction transverse to the path of the cans so as to strike opposite sides of the cans passing by, receiving means positioned in a plane beneath said solder pots and adapted to receive the surplus solder and reciprocatory dipper means adapted to take solder from said receiving means and return the solder into the two pots.

12. A can soldering machine having a solder pot provided with an outlet through one of its upright walls, a tube passing through the opposite upright walls of the pot in alinement with said outlet, said tube having a screw thread connection with the pot, whereby rotation of the tube will move the tube longitudinally, the tube being otherwise fixed against longitudinal movement, the inner end of said tube normally being spaced from said outlet while the machine is in operation, to permit the free discharge of solder directly through the outlet, and the tube being adjustable by said screw-thread connection to cause its inner end to close said outlet, and a needle valve in said tube having a screw-thread relation with the tube and normally closing the inner end of the tube, said needle valve being withdrawable from the tube to permit the insertion of a cleaning device through the tube and into the outlet of the solder pot for cleaning the latter.

13. A can-soldering machine having a solder pot provided with an outlet, a tube stationarily mounted on the pot in alinement with saidoutlet the inner end of said tube being normally spaced away from the outlet While the machine is in operation to permit the free discharge of solder directly through the outlet, means whereby the tube may be manually adjusted longitudinally and fi-Xed in position with its inner end, closing said, outlet, and means within said tube closing the inner end thereof and being movable to allow the insertion of a cleaning de- 10 I vice through the tube and through said outlet for cleaning the latter.

In testimony whereof, I, hereunto set. my hand in the presence of two witnesses.

SAMUEL E. ALLERTON In the presence of N. R. ELMs'rRoM, HARRY WILLIAMS.

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